The little girl ran,

because she can.

She has endless days of fun-

her ideas are second to none.

The young boy is burried in a book,

sitting in a perfect nook.

His mind does race-

in a book, you have no level or place.

The tween girl spoke,

untill midnight's stroke.

Her friends also lay in sleeping bags-

sharing stories of danger and crags.

The teen boy celabrated,

there was no one he hated.

He lived a happy life-

even if it had times of strife.

Then adualthood crashes on us all,

our dreams go from big, to very, very small.

But, one question, why?

They need to know a fun life is not a lie.

Walk like you wear a crown.

Because you do.

You are the ruler,

Of your own kingdom.

Stand tall,

Never fear,

And keep your head up.

Never look down.

You are stong enough,

To bear the weight,

Of an entire nation.

But you do more than that.

You bear the weight,

Of your own world.

Stand tall.

Walk proud.

And have some confidence.

Do not falter,

Or your crown will fall,

From your head,

Where it has been,

Carefully placed.

Stand tall.

Walk proud.

Have confidence,

And faith in yourself.

You can keep your crown,

Upon your head,

So long,

As you are,

Level-headed.

Stand tall.

Walk proud.

Have confidence.

Because you can.

And you should.

I met my teenage idol

in nineteen ninety-two;

his life had been a trial,

but still he powered through.

Because of operations

on spine and tibia,

he surpassed expectations

with spina bifida.

The wheelchair didn't stop him;

he always found a way-

no one was more deserving

of seeing bounds puréed.

And when his will was tested,

he never lost his smile;

so easy I invested-

a step dad quite worthwhile.

He loved me absolutely;

I always rode along-

an avid little groupie

who listened to his songs.

On Thursdays he went racing-

a place called Thunder Road;

I watched the Legends chasing

each other tail to nose.

Those summer nights were thrilling

with infield dirt aflight;

and though he wasn't winning,

he would not move aside.

The budget car got battered

whenever he'd compete;

on weekends family gathered

to help him patch his steed.

Despite the constant struggle,

he rose above it all,

but one night he was muscled

and pushed a bit too far.

The final lap upon them,

he's shoved to second place;

he tapped the car and spun 'em,

thus winning his first race!

When we sat there on her bed, and the TV blared in the background, I looked into her blue eyes and asked her a question.

"How long have you liked me?" I asked.

"Since day one. Remember when our friend abandoned me and you stayed to comfort me?" she answered.

"I do; it was the day we became friends."

"That was the moment I knew I liked you. I'm happy we came this far."

(Based on a true story. I don't remember everything said, but I do remember the when and the feeling that exploded in my chest.)